UEFA Nations League Group A3
England v Hungary
Molineux Stadium
Wolverhampton, England
England have played at Molineux on five previous occasions, starting last Saturday (11 Jun) with the 0:0 behind closed doors draw with Italy and the following:
England 0 Italy 0 2022, UNL
England 5 Denmark 2 1956, WCQ
England 1 Wales 2 1936, HC
England 4 Ireland 0 1903, HC
England 6 Ireland 1 1891, HC
Conor Coady on the front cover which is a fair one as he is a centre back for Wolves' . Since the build up to UEFA 2016, the Three Lions have played in Sunderland, Manchester, Leeds, Leicester, Southampton and Middlesbrough. It is as if we are following the German model of spreading the love around the country.
This fixture was a sell out and I was lucky to get one in the Sir Jack Hayward stand as that sold out first.
Molinueux is an outstanding stadium and has always been a favourite of mine. It's not just the iconic status of it but its the fact there are some outstanding pubs in the near vicinity which ensures a great away day.
England 0 Hungary 4
Attendance: 28839
Arrivals by train do not have that far to walk and are close to a plethora of boozers on the way to the ground.
For this journey I drove and stayed in cheap digs at Redwings lodge. I did this because trains from Grantham to Wolverhampton involve too much messing around.
Redwings lodge is highly recommended for a stopover
Wolverhampton's 'Man on the Oss' was unveiled in 1866 and was the first place that Queen Victoria visited following the death of her beloved consort, Prince Albert
The Lych Gate Tavern - I didn't go in this time but from previous experiences it is a really good pub. A Lych Gate is an old English word referring to a gateway covered with a roof, normally found at the entrance to a traditional English style church yard
A short walk across to Lichfield Street is another one of my favourite Wolverhampton watering holes, the Posada
The Posada dates back to 1886 and is a Victorian grade II listed building, it was re-built on the site of the former Noah's Ark (1792).
Quirky and old
Probably the best pub in Wolverhampton ? I'm not so sure as it has serious competition from the Old Still and the Great Western - coming up!
After a call from Pete Robinson (Sunderland) it is time to head due East to the Great Western, an excellent boozer just outside of the ring road near the station.
The Great Western is a former winner of the CAMRA National Pub of the Year award in 1991
The pub was built in 1849 along with 19 other terraced houses between Sun Street and Bailey Street. The development was as a consequence of the building of the canal and later the Stour valley railway line which attracted workers to the area
A plethora of good ales were on sale, I'd strongly recommend the Holdens and also Bathams Bitter
Bish (Wolves) and some of the London boys
Short walk to the stadium
Millwall and Derby on the pop again
Sir Jack Heyward statue with the Steve Bull stand in view
What a role model😅
My view from the Sir Jack Hayward stand
The calm before the storm
Hungarian fans in the top tier of NE corner of the Stan Cullis Stand
The giant Three Lions crest is on parade
The stage is set for the anthems
A sharp and hungary Hungary gave a tired looking England a footballing lesson. This was almost as embarrassing as the loss against Iceland in Nice at Euro 16.
England suffer their heaviest home defeat in 94 years and face the very real prospect of relegation from the the top tier of the Nations league which would put them as a second seed in the Euro Qualifications draw for Euro 24 in Germany
After that shambles I'm off last orders in a pub which Bish recommended (The Old Pot Still)
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